Fate.
The word as defined by Merriam-Webster: a predetermined course of events or the ultimate outcome of a person’s life, driven by a divine, natural or universal force. Fate could be the word that best describes how three lives came together: Tanner Middleton and Rogue Cell founders Sean Davis and Brad Pietzyk.
Davis and Pietzyk are veterans. Davis joined the U.S. Army as an infantry man in 1993 after graduating from Sweet Home High School in Linn County in 1991. He left the service in 1999 but reenlisted following the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. There Davis experienced what few, if any besides other fellow veterans, could understand. Davis was critically injured in a violent ambush in Taji, Iraq and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was one of the lucky ones to survive.
Since returning home from Iraq, Davis worked many jobs and obtained three degrees: an associates degree from Mt. Hood Community College; a bachelor’s in English from Portland State University and a master’s in writing from Pacific University. Eventually, Davis moved to Astoria with his wife Kelly and soon met fellow Iraq war veteran Pietzyk at a veterans breakfast.
It was clear from their first conversation that fate had put them together. They quickly formed Rogue Cell.
Rogue Cell is an organization centered around helping veterans, mostly in rural Oregon, to connect with each other and share their stories. This includes hosting a radio show on local KMUN, scheduling veteran dog walks on Saturday afternoons, monthly veteran breakfasts at Lums Auto Center and most recently, holding a new art night at the Astoria Armory. The pair also traveled 4,000 miles across Oregon interviewing veteran organizations, lawmakers and community leaders for their documentary film, “Battlefields and Backroads.”
“Brad and I were both volunteering with veteran organizations in Astoria when we met,” Davis said. “Most veterans lose camaraderie after leaving the service. Oregon was top five in veteran suicide for a long time, so this organization is all about being visible and making veterans feel like they have people looking out for them.”
According to a 2025 poll from the American Psychological Association, 54% of Americans report feeling isolated. One in three report feeling isolated every week. With loneliness and isolation becoming such a large societal problem, organizations like Rogue Cell — and the recently formed Clatsop County Softball League — are intended to help people struggling with such challenges.
Tanner Middleton, who founded the Clatsop County Softball League in 2025, said he has lived through similar struggles as Davis and Pietzyk have. His struggles weren’t related to post traumatic stress disorder from serving in a war — his were with alcohol. He said it began in high school and has affected his life up until two years ago. Since starting his recovery on July 14, 2024, Middleton said he realized that he needed to find purpose in his life. He needed to find something he could do to make a difference.
“After getting sober, I realized there wasn’t much for adults to do in Astoria besides bar hop,” Middleton said. “I started this softball league with the hope of bringing older adults in the community together.”
Though the league was founded in 2025, Middleton said this year will be the first full season for the Clatsop County Softball League. The league played a condensed schedule of just six weeks last year to get community engagement. That seemed to work — Middleton said that by the June 30 deadline, more than 100 people had signed up to play.
“We have eight full teams registered currently and could possibly be looking at 12,” Middleton said. “We have 64 total games scheduled for this year — and will have a championship tournament at a later date.”
Fate is the connection
Fate also connected Middleton to Rogue Cell and a team of veterans. The Rogue Cell Rabbits softball team is one of the eight teams registered to play in the county league.
And just like how Davis and Pietzyk started the Rogue Cell organization over a breakfast chat, the idea to create a Rogue Cell softball team began at one of the group’s weekly coffee meetings, according to Davis and Ed Hassan. Hassan has taken on the role as team leader for the Rogue Cell softball team — the Rogue Cell Rabbits.
“A few of our friends over coffee talked about starting a softball team,” said Davis. He thought it was such a good idea that he said he’d cover the $40 entry fee for those who wanted to play. His motivation was twofold: one reason to create the team was to provide fellowship; the other was to provide outreach. “There’s a preconceived notion that people have about veterans,” Davis said, “so this would be a great way to show community members that veterans are people just like them.”
Hassan, who worked 30 years as an air traffic controller for the U.S. Air Force, met his wife Barbara, a nurse, while overseas. Barbara retired in 2010 and Ed soon followed. The couple eventually found their way to Clatsop County after making several trips along the West Coast in search of a new home that resembled the San Francisco Bay Area where each of them grew up. Hassen said he’s excited to be able to play on Rogue Cell’s team.
“When I saw Tanner’s post on Meta, I thought this would be a great opportunity for vets to get out and have some fun,” he said. “It also gives everyone an opportunity to block out the day’s issues and bring them back to a sport they may have learned as a kid.”
Hassan said vets are competitive by nature and the softball league will give them a chance to have some fun for an hour and a half, while celebrating camaraderie.
“Eleven percent of people in the county are vets, and they don’t interact with each other,” Hassan said. “We hope this league will bring out some of the younger veterans that live around here.”
Games for the Clatsop County Softball League are scheduled to begin on Sunday July, 5 with its Fourth of July “Red, White and Dingers Super Draft Tournament.” Registration begins at 9 a.m. and games start at 10. Participants who pay $20 will be divided into random co-ed teams. After playing in the game, community members can enjoy a home run derby, a barbecue, a 50/50 raffle and more.
“Anyone is welcome to play,” Middleton said. “Just drop by and we will divide you up.”
The first official game day of the season is Sunday July, 12, opening day. After that, the schedule will consist of games every Tuesday and Thursday. Middleton said all the games will be played at Astoria Middle School and will begin at 6 p.m.
